Aberlour A’Bunadh Cask Strength Speyside Single Malt Scotch Whisky

This Speyside single malt is matured in Oloroso sherry casks, and that shows in everything about it. Sherry-cask maturation tends to push a whisky toward darker, sweeter territory, and Aberlour A'Bunadh leans into it fully. It is bottled at cask strength, undiluted from the barrel, so the texture is thick and the flavors are concentrated rather than polite.

Dried fruit sits at the center, with dark chocolate underneath giving it weight. Orange peel cuts through the sweetness and keeps things from turning heavy. Cinnamon and clove warm the back end, and rich oak holds the finish together.

Cask strength means a small amount of water opens it up considerably if you want it softer, though plenty of people drink it as it comes. A 750 mL bottle, and a good introduction to what sherry casks do to Speyside whisky.